November 5 - 2016 - Borrego Springs CA - 6-12-24 Hour Championship
Twelve hours - non-stop? Really? Yes, really! I raced it last year as a rookie and took the women's over-all, beating much younger riders after sliding out in the sand and crashing, so this year my goal was, of course, to attempt another such victory and add my missing miles (caused by the 33 minute down-time). Always shoot high, I say, and if you miss, you still have something worthy of the 9-hour (one way) drive. And so this year’s training went exceedingly well, recording thirteen 300 mile weeks - a dozen more than last year. Feeling much more prepared and knowing the course, I again set my goal on at least 200 miles, and hopefully into the teens or twenties. Heck - do the math - that’s only 18 miles an hour, and that’s what I’ve been training for. On a good day, anything can happen. Actually, one of the toughest training aspects is that this race in November, and I was so ready to get a cross bike and head out to my lake trails for some off-season fun. But I knew this could wait, and continued to train for some added speed in my six seek span between Silver State 508 and the championship. In an early autumn, I experienced heat, wind, chill, and a few showers, so I felt competent in that regard.
The final week is always the toughest, as tapering is not easy on the mind! And, in this case - the back. On Monday, as I shoved a 50 pound box into the car, I knew I’d blown it. Hauling it out to get it into the post office just confirmed that. Arrrrrgh! But, I had my pre-race visit with Dr. Lim the very next day, and he can fix anything! With some painful graston work, rock tape, and additional neck, quad, and shoulder therapy, I was on my way to Serenity Springs for a massage that hurt in that perfectly healing way. My friend Marnene Anderson does wonderful work, and the two of them turned things around in the most fabulous way! Whew! I knew going into this race that my right shoulder would hurt, as I tore the rotator cuff here last year in that crash. But with a lil help from my friends, I would persevere.
On to the 9-hour drive…uneventful, and grateful that my fabulous crew chief, Brian Nakawaga, was willing to do ALL the driving! We arrived in DAYLIGHT to tiny Borrego Springs, unloaded what looked like two weeks of gear (!) and met for dinner with some of the Stars of UltraCycling: Seana Hogan, Bark Baloh, and at least six foreign competitors, along wit good friends Robert and Kathy Baldino, and new friend-from-face-book, Wes Wilmer.
Friday was relaxed for us 12-hour racers, doing checkin and bike inspection under sunny skies. I’d added Hammer Fizz Tabs to my bottle for days, in preparation for the expected 80+ heat. After a lil down time we returned to The Pit to see the 24-hour racers head out. Yes, they ride through the dark, still, cold night and we join them at 6 am for the easy part. And the 6-hour folks join us all at noon. It’s a party out there! A quick prayer with Karin got her on the road and the amazing 24s took off blazingly fast, as 4 world record holders were in contention in the men’s and women’s races. It was such a delight to meet Anne Mei, a champion from Italy, and to cheer on Seana Hogan, who, by the way, I hold responsible for my transition to The Dark Side, along with my bestie, Hammer Teammate Karin Weller and Chris Davies on tandem, and Sandy and Bill Earl, also on tandem. Brave ones they are, heading out into darkness, while we measly ones headed back for my usual cautious pre-race dinner: tuna, baked potato, and soup, and plenty of race-talk! I dined in the midst of years of ultra experience, soaking it all in.
RACE DAY! Oh, how I LOVE RaceDay!! I’d slept soundly and with 2 hours till Go Time, scarfed down oatmeal, pb toast, and my Hammer pre-ride capsules: PIC, Anti Fatigue Cap, Mito Cap, PhytoMax, RaceCap, Endurolyte…and my Fabulous Famous Banana Bread from my local fave place: Common Grounds.
Arrival to The Pit: 5:15 am - total darkness, but of course my pro crew Brian had a headlamp and was prepared in every aspect. All I had to do was roll around the parking lot, use the portapotty 17 times and try to stay calm. Oh, and portapottys in the dark - not fun AT ALL! EWE! I reviewed my time sheet, tested my one-ear allowed iPod and waited. Seana’s crew, Lori Meyers, is a great friend of mine, and she found me to wish me well. With 15 to go, I gulped down my Hammer Energy Surge for that extra pump. We set off in four waves, with my friend Wes in wave 1, on a mission following a 2 1/2 year recovery form a horrific car accident, along with a very tall fit looking gal who was not here last year. She wore a green skin suit and looked like serious competition (which would in fact prove to be most accurate - more on the later!). This year’s start would be dark for one lap (daylight savings ended the next day) - and I was excited, knowing that I’d get to finish in daylight, unlike last year, when we raced the week following the end of daylight savings. The dark finish had been tough and disorienting, so I was very happy with the date change.
BAM - we are off!! Music on, ride steady, not forcefully hard, and stick to The Game Plan, which was to stay in zone 3 for the bulk of the day, allowing my stomach to process the nutrition/hydration plan. I glanced at my computer when the light flicked on at the 5, and….I’d forgotten to put on my hear monitor ! Yikes! I cant even blame the darkness for this stupid oversight - I just did not see it in my kit bag back at the (fully lit!) house. DANG IT! But, I soon realized I’d been specifically trading in this zone for weeks, and altho I would not have any HM data, I’m confident that I was in fact in Z3 for the bulk of the race. We greeted dawn and the bunnies as lap one ended and I flew by, not needing anything, but I as I checked my time sheet, I found that I was 2 minutes off - cheezze! I stepped it up a bit to attain 18.5 mph. As I approached 50 miles, I could feel the photo van stalking me - and we had a short conversation and a whirl of pics. I guess since I was defending, they were checking in, and I told them my game plan was to “just ride 4x50 miles. Not so bad.” They rolled on, and I reached the pit to make my first water stop at 54 miles. In-and-out in under 2:00, I’d drank 3 bottles as planned, and I rode on under desert sunshine, unaware of the increasing heat. Although I’d planned to hit the pit again in two laps, I held off until 108 miles, took a potty break, grabbed banana, caffeine gum, water, ice bags, and Heed/Sustained Energy, and hit the road. This long gap proved fatal.
Lap 7 felt….lousy. Unexpectedly lousy - my speed dropped horribly and I knew I was in trouble. I never would have expected to stop again just a lap later, but I pulled in for more of the above and hoped it would turn things around…but lap 8 was even worse, and I had two strange cramps just before the end of the lap. I pulled in with 144 miles, knowing the rest break would put my goals, even the most humble one (187 miles), out of reach. I searched out Robert’s cot thinking that 30 minutes would at least get me out on the road to finish respectably. And 30 minutes later, I knew even that was not going to happen. I was not coming around, in spite of ice, supplements, ginger ale, or rest. I was done. 144 miles, 22 less than last year, and not very happy about it. But ultras (even measly 12-hour ones!) are about adapting to the day’s challenges, and although I’d thought I was doing that, the heat had crept up and I had not been drinking nearly enough. I was too dizzy to even walk by myself to turn in my tracker…and I was resigned to the cot as others rode on. The Green Hornet (pro triathlete Dede Griesbaur) had zoomed by me a lap earlier and won the race with an outstanding 154 miles, beating all the men and tandems and even the teams (who alternate riding with resting)!! I got to meet her at the end of the day, and she is a warm and friendly amazingly awesome triathlete. I met so many racers out there, and the event is so totally friendly and mentoring, that on the next day’s drive home I was “over it”. It was a long good hard ride - until it wasn’t, and I’ve had a few days to reconsider my fueling strategy. Ultra raising is not easy, but it is friendly and very satisfying, always challenging even for the champions, to adapt to the conditions. This year was hotter (and windier) than last year, and I succumbed. I also met riders who said they raced because I’d inspired them ~ and that is just the coolest thing!
I’ll be back next year, smarter and faster!
Thank you to my sponsors: Rudy Project, who was also an event sponsor, Hammer Nutrition, who continues to mentor my nutrition plan - and they will do the same for you, just call them! And Total Body Fitness, who believes in my ability to coach new riders to become all that they can be, to delight in their bodies' ability to exceed perceived limits, and to attain the pure joy of moving outdoors and enjoying the beauty of our planet, and all its creations.
The off season has arrived - and I’ll “celebrate” by undergoing rotator cuff surgery next week, as soon as I return from the USAC Level 2 Coaching Clinic in Chico, a 3-day ultra adventure of a different type!
Hats off to all of my support team out there on raceday: crew chief Brian Nakawaga; Seana Hogan’s crew, Lori Meyers; foothill neighbor/racer Robert and his wife Baldino, who won his age group; the astoundingly fast Wes Wilmer who had a game plan and stuck to it for 145 miles to win his age group; Sandy and Bill Earl, our housemates and the winning tandem team; Karin Weller and Chris Davies, tandem 24s; Louise Hose and Paul Dye who took their AG in the 12-hour mixed team, Monica Breckenridge, who flew across the country for her first race, rode a PINK bike, and won her AG in the 6-hour, and the many more of you whom I met / saw out there on the course. Seana Hogan set a new world record in the 24-hour, while Strasser did the same in the men’s race. Champion Mark Baloh even cheered me on as he zoomed by me onto his victory! You can see that this is a friendly, encouraging race environment, and there’s no place I’d rather be!
Twelve hours - non-stop? Really? Yes, really! I raced it last year as a rookie and took the women's over-all, beating much younger riders after sliding out in the sand and crashing, so this year my goal was, of course, to attempt another such victory and add my missing miles (caused by the 33 minute down-time). Always shoot high, I say, and if you miss, you still have something worthy of the 9-hour (one way) drive. And so this year’s training went exceedingly well, recording thirteen 300 mile weeks - a dozen more than last year. Feeling much more prepared and knowing the course, I again set my goal on at least 200 miles, and hopefully into the teens or twenties. Heck - do the math - that’s only 18 miles an hour, and that’s what I’ve been training for. On a good day, anything can happen. Actually, one of the toughest training aspects is that this race in November, and I was so ready to get a cross bike and head out to my lake trails for some off-season fun. But I knew this could wait, and continued to train for some added speed in my six seek span between Silver State 508 and the championship. In an early autumn, I experienced heat, wind, chill, and a few showers, so I felt competent in that regard.
The final week is always the toughest, as tapering is not easy on the mind! And, in this case - the back. On Monday, as I shoved a 50 pound box into the car, I knew I’d blown it. Hauling it out to get it into the post office just confirmed that. Arrrrrgh! But, I had my pre-race visit with Dr. Lim the very next day, and he can fix anything! With some painful graston work, rock tape, and additional neck, quad, and shoulder therapy, I was on my way to Serenity Springs for a massage that hurt in that perfectly healing way. My friend Marnene Anderson does wonderful work, and the two of them turned things around in the most fabulous way! Whew! I knew going into this race that my right shoulder would hurt, as I tore the rotator cuff here last year in that crash. But with a lil help from my friends, I would persevere.
On to the 9-hour drive…uneventful, and grateful that my fabulous crew chief, Brian Nakawaga, was willing to do ALL the driving! We arrived in DAYLIGHT to tiny Borrego Springs, unloaded what looked like two weeks of gear (!) and met for dinner with some of the Stars of UltraCycling: Seana Hogan, Bark Baloh, and at least six foreign competitors, along wit good friends Robert and Kathy Baldino, and new friend-from-face-book, Wes Wilmer.
Friday was relaxed for us 12-hour racers, doing checkin and bike inspection under sunny skies. I’d added Hammer Fizz Tabs to my bottle for days, in preparation for the expected 80+ heat. After a lil down time we returned to The Pit to see the 24-hour racers head out. Yes, they ride through the dark, still, cold night and we join them at 6 am for the easy part. And the 6-hour folks join us all at noon. It’s a party out there! A quick prayer with Karin got her on the road and the amazing 24s took off blazingly fast, as 4 world record holders were in contention in the men’s and women’s races. It was such a delight to meet Anne Mei, a champion from Italy, and to cheer on Seana Hogan, who, by the way, I hold responsible for my transition to The Dark Side, along with my bestie, Hammer Teammate Karin Weller and Chris Davies on tandem, and Sandy and Bill Earl, also on tandem. Brave ones they are, heading out into darkness, while we measly ones headed back for my usual cautious pre-race dinner: tuna, baked potato, and soup, and plenty of race-talk! I dined in the midst of years of ultra experience, soaking it all in.
RACE DAY! Oh, how I LOVE RaceDay!! I’d slept soundly and with 2 hours till Go Time, scarfed down oatmeal, pb toast, and my Hammer pre-ride capsules: PIC, Anti Fatigue Cap, Mito Cap, PhytoMax, RaceCap, Endurolyte…and my Fabulous Famous Banana Bread from my local fave place: Common Grounds.
Arrival to The Pit: 5:15 am - total darkness, but of course my pro crew Brian had a headlamp and was prepared in every aspect. All I had to do was roll around the parking lot, use the portapotty 17 times and try to stay calm. Oh, and portapottys in the dark - not fun AT ALL! EWE! I reviewed my time sheet, tested my one-ear allowed iPod and waited. Seana’s crew, Lori Meyers, is a great friend of mine, and she found me to wish me well. With 15 to go, I gulped down my Hammer Energy Surge for that extra pump. We set off in four waves, with my friend Wes in wave 1, on a mission following a 2 1/2 year recovery form a horrific car accident, along with a very tall fit looking gal who was not here last year. She wore a green skin suit and looked like serious competition (which would in fact prove to be most accurate - more on the later!). This year’s start would be dark for one lap (daylight savings ended the next day) - and I was excited, knowing that I’d get to finish in daylight, unlike last year, when we raced the week following the end of daylight savings. The dark finish had been tough and disorienting, so I was very happy with the date change.
BAM - we are off!! Music on, ride steady, not forcefully hard, and stick to The Game Plan, which was to stay in zone 3 for the bulk of the day, allowing my stomach to process the nutrition/hydration plan. I glanced at my computer when the light flicked on at the 5, and….I’d forgotten to put on my hear monitor ! Yikes! I cant even blame the darkness for this stupid oversight - I just did not see it in my kit bag back at the (fully lit!) house. DANG IT! But, I soon realized I’d been specifically trading in this zone for weeks, and altho I would not have any HM data, I’m confident that I was in fact in Z3 for the bulk of the race. We greeted dawn and the bunnies as lap one ended and I flew by, not needing anything, but I as I checked my time sheet, I found that I was 2 minutes off - cheezze! I stepped it up a bit to attain 18.5 mph. As I approached 50 miles, I could feel the photo van stalking me - and we had a short conversation and a whirl of pics. I guess since I was defending, they were checking in, and I told them my game plan was to “just ride 4x50 miles. Not so bad.” They rolled on, and I reached the pit to make my first water stop at 54 miles. In-and-out in under 2:00, I’d drank 3 bottles as planned, and I rode on under desert sunshine, unaware of the increasing heat. Although I’d planned to hit the pit again in two laps, I held off until 108 miles, took a potty break, grabbed banana, caffeine gum, water, ice bags, and Heed/Sustained Energy, and hit the road. This long gap proved fatal.
Lap 7 felt….lousy. Unexpectedly lousy - my speed dropped horribly and I knew I was in trouble. I never would have expected to stop again just a lap later, but I pulled in for more of the above and hoped it would turn things around…but lap 8 was even worse, and I had two strange cramps just before the end of the lap. I pulled in with 144 miles, knowing the rest break would put my goals, even the most humble one (187 miles), out of reach. I searched out Robert’s cot thinking that 30 minutes would at least get me out on the road to finish respectably. And 30 minutes later, I knew even that was not going to happen. I was not coming around, in spite of ice, supplements, ginger ale, or rest. I was done. 144 miles, 22 less than last year, and not very happy about it. But ultras (even measly 12-hour ones!) are about adapting to the day’s challenges, and although I’d thought I was doing that, the heat had crept up and I had not been drinking nearly enough. I was too dizzy to even walk by myself to turn in my tracker…and I was resigned to the cot as others rode on. The Green Hornet (pro triathlete Dede Griesbaur) had zoomed by me a lap earlier and won the race with an outstanding 154 miles, beating all the men and tandems and even the teams (who alternate riding with resting)!! I got to meet her at the end of the day, and she is a warm and friendly amazingly awesome triathlete. I met so many racers out there, and the event is so totally friendly and mentoring, that on the next day’s drive home I was “over it”. It was a long good hard ride - until it wasn’t, and I’ve had a few days to reconsider my fueling strategy. Ultra raising is not easy, but it is friendly and very satisfying, always challenging even for the champions, to adapt to the conditions. This year was hotter (and windier) than last year, and I succumbed. I also met riders who said they raced because I’d inspired them ~ and that is just the coolest thing!
I’ll be back next year, smarter and faster!
Thank you to my sponsors: Rudy Project, who was also an event sponsor, Hammer Nutrition, who continues to mentor my nutrition plan - and they will do the same for you, just call them! And Total Body Fitness, who believes in my ability to coach new riders to become all that they can be, to delight in their bodies' ability to exceed perceived limits, and to attain the pure joy of moving outdoors and enjoying the beauty of our planet, and all its creations.
The off season has arrived - and I’ll “celebrate” by undergoing rotator cuff surgery next week, as soon as I return from the USAC Level 2 Coaching Clinic in Chico, a 3-day ultra adventure of a different type!
Hats off to all of my support team out there on raceday: crew chief Brian Nakawaga; Seana Hogan’s crew, Lori Meyers; foothill neighbor/racer Robert and his wife Baldino, who won his age group; the astoundingly fast Wes Wilmer who had a game plan and stuck to it for 145 miles to win his age group; Sandy and Bill Earl, our housemates and the winning tandem team; Karin Weller and Chris Davies, tandem 24s; Louise Hose and Paul Dye who took their AG in the 12-hour mixed team, Monica Breckenridge, who flew across the country for her first race, rode a PINK bike, and won her AG in the 6-hour, and the many more of you whom I met / saw out there on the course. Seana Hogan set a new world record in the 24-hour, while Strasser did the same in the men’s race. Champion Mark Baloh even cheered me on as he zoomed by me onto his victory! You can see that this is a friendly, encouraging race environment, and there’s no place I’d rather be!